It was a rare but surely valuable experience.
Five young children addressed the plenary session of the World Summit on Sustainable Development – and challenged their elders to do more to save the world from environmental decline.
“We need more than just your commitment,” they said. “We need action!”
The four children, aged from six to 14, were Justin Friesen from Canada, Mingyu Liao from China, Analiz Vergara from Ecuador, and Tiyiselani Manganyi and Julius Ndloven, both from South Africa.
They were chosen as representatives of 400 children from 80 countries who attended a recent United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) conference in Victoria, BC, Canada.
They were granted a generous 10 minutes of uninterrupted delivery to the 100 or so assembled heads of government. The leaders of the world listened attentively. And they applauded, more than just politely.
“The problem with leaders is that you do not want to listen to us,” Justin Friesen from Canada told the high level meeting.
But today the leaders did listen.
And the children took the opportunity to tell them bluntly that they must speed up action to tackle environmental problems.
“The children of the world are disappointed because too many adults are too interested in money and wealth to take notice of the serious problems that affect our future,” they said, speaking in turn.
They asked the leaders if they could look in the mirror and say children would have a better future because of actions they had taken.
“We are not asking too much. You said this Summit is about taking action. We need more than your applause and comments of ‘well done’ or ‘good speech.’ We need action!”
Then, in chorus, they declaimed: “Don’t walk off and forget about these challenges. We finally challenge you, the leaders of the world, to accomplish them.”
The children’s keynote plenary role seemed to represent a positive change of attitude towards young people on the part of both the conference organisers and the leaders. By contrast, the young president of the last UNESCO General Conference Youth Forum was given just five minutes to sum up the results of three days of discussion by over 100 young delegates.
We young people hope this old dismissive approach will henceforth be history! What we witnessed today should be multiplied in the future. We wish to commend the organisers for treating the children as partners. It was an occasion to remember.
But anyway, if the children are not allowed to speak, who are the grown-ups planning for?
© GLOBAL YOUTH REPORTERS PROGRAMME
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